Xylophone



April 20, 1943. H ZIMMERMAN 2,317,165

XYLOPHONE Filed Oct. "r, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I /0 I Z 38 M I :3 42so 46 j,

25 66 I866 g/Q L a 4 3 f as g '8 946g gag/"kg April 20, 1943.

H. ZIMMERMAN 2,317,165

XYLOPHONE Filed Oct. '7. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. kw IMRRYZWNHPAMA Patented Apr. 20, 1943 UNITED STATES E A'EEZNT @FFiQE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to xylophones or other similar musicalinstruments generally and more particularly to the frame and means forsupporting the musical members or bars thereof.

One object of the invention is to provide simple inexpensive yet highlyefficient manner and mean for mounting and supporting the musicalmembers of such instruments, so as to avoid expensive assemblingoperations and to prevent accidental displacement of the said musicalmembers and likewise to prevent injury to hands of anyone handling theinstrument.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a musicalinstrument in which the supporting frame is made of a single sheet ofcardboard or the like.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described inwhich the maximum sim.. plicity of construction and operation issecured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of theimprovements is better understood, the invention consistingsubstantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation f parts hereinfully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinsimilar reference characters are used to describe corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and then finally pointed out andspecifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventiveconcept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention isnot to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and thelatter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather thana restrictive standpoint.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety ofmechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustration,is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top planview of a Xylophone made in accordance with my present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmental sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 Figure 1 and Figure5 is a developed view of the blank from which the frame is formed.

Referring to the drawings in detail indicates the frame of a Xylophoneor other similar musical instrument, said frame being made of a singlesheet of card board or the like. In Figure I have shown the blank H fromwhich the said frame is formed. The said blank comprises a central basesection 12 formed between two converging score lines 13 and I4. To theleft of the score line I3 and substantially parallel thereto are scorelines l5, l6 and H the said score lines and. the slanting longitudinaledge 18 define an outer side wall 19, a top wall 253, an inner side wall2i and a base 22 of a tubular housing 23 which is substantiallyrectangular in cross section. A similar housing 24 is formed to theright of the score line I4 and comprises an outer side wall 25, a topwall 26, an outer side wall 21 and base 28, formed respectively betweenthe score line [4, score lines 29, 30 and 3t and slanting longitudinalside edge 32. Parallel score lines 33 and 34 define the ends of the basei2.

Parallel to and spaced from the score line 33 are score lines 35, 35 and37 defining respectively an outer end wall 38, a top Wall 39, an innerend wail 49 and a tab M which when folded form a hollow end orrectangular compartment 42, the tab 6i being adapted to pass through aslot 43 at the upper end of the base l2 and foldable thereunder. Theinner wall 4i! is provided with tabs 44 and 45 which are adapted toenter slots 4 5a and 45a respectively located in the inner side walls 2:and 21. Tabs 46 and 31 foldable from score lines 48 and 49 and extendingfrom their respective outer side walls l9 and 25 act as retaining meansfor the said side walls at one end. A compartment 56 similar to butnarrower than the compartment 32 is formed at the opposite end of theframe by means of the score line 3% and parallel and spaced apart scorelines 5!, E2 and 53 which define the outer end wall 53a, top wall 54,inner end wall 55 and tab 53 which passes through a slot 5'! in the baseI2. The wall 55 like the wall 46 is provided with tabs 58 and 59 adaptedto pass through slots 58a and Tabs 60 and El foldable respectively fromscore lines 152 and 63 at the lower ends of outer side wall sections l9and 25 act to retain the said side walls at the said lower ends. Thehollow compartmented end walls together with the hollow compartmentedside walls form a rigi frame construction.

Each of the inner side Walls 2% and 27 is provided with a plurality ofspaced apart holes or openings 65, the holes in one wall being inalinement with the holes in the other wall and the outer side Wall H]has an equal number of holes 65 the objects of which will shortly bedescribed. Secured to the inner surface of each of the said Walls 2| and2'! is a cardboard or other similar strip 61 provided with cutouts 58preferably in vertical alinement with both the holes t5 and 65, the saidcutouts being provided in the upper edge of the said strips. Overlyingthe said strips 61 and openings or cutouts 58 are a pair of cords orstrings 69 which are suitably secured at their ends to the said strips.Musical members or tubes 70 rest upon the cords $8 and pass looselythrough the holes 65 which are considerably larger than the diameter ofthe tubes 13. The said arrangement of holes and cutouts permitting of arolling action as well as an up and down movement of the tubes whenstruck by a playing ham- ,mer without coming in contact with the framematerial thus insuring true and undistorted tones of the said musicaltubes. The holes 65 however are of about the same size as the tubes thuspreventing accidental displacement of the musical members. Likewise dueto the fact that the cords are at a higher level than the bottom of thetubes, accidental displacement of them is prevented.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I haveprovided a simple,inexpensive non-metallic frame for supporting the musical members of aXylophone or other similar instrument in which the ends of the musicalmembers are covered and in which the musical members themselves arefreely mounted and cannot he accidentally displaced from their position.Likewise they are so arranged that they cannot ordinarily while theinstrument is being played come in contact with b any sound deadening ordistorting material.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A Xylophone or the like comprising a pair of spaced apartinter-connected hollow housings forming side chambers, a pair of hollowhousings between the ends of the first mentioned housings and formingend chambers, the side chambers each having openings in their inner sidewalls arranged in opposed relation, a vibration-dampening elementsupported in each side chamber above the bottom of the openings therein,and a musical member extending through each pair of oppositely disposedopenings and resting upon the vibration-damping elements.

2. A Xylophone or the like comprising a pair of spaced apartinter-connected hollow housings forming side chambers, a pair of hollowhousings between the ends of the first mentioned housings and formingend chambers, the side chambers each having openings in their inner sidewalls arranged in opposed relation, a flexible vibrationdamping elementsupported in each side chamber and extending longitudinally thereofabove the bottom of the openings, and a musical member extending througheach pair of oppositely disposed openings and resting upon the vibrationdamping elements.

3. A Xylophone or the like comprising a pair of spaced apartinter-connected hollow housings forming side chambers, a pair of hollowhousings between the ends of the first mentioned housings forming endchambers, said housings being formed from a single blank of material,the inner opposed walls of the side chambers being provided withopenings arranged in opposed relation, a vibration-damping elementsupported in each side chamber above the bottom of the open-, ingstherein, and a musical member extending through pairs of oppositelydisposed openings and resting upon the vibration-damping elements.

4. A Xylophone or the like comprising a pair of spaced apartinter-connected hollow housings forming side'chambers, a pair of hollowhousings between the ends of the first mentioned housings forming endchambers, said housings being formed from a single blank of material,the inner opposed walls of the side chambers beingprovided with openingsarranged in opposed relation, a flexible vibration-damping elementsupported in each side chamber and extending longitudinal- 1y thereofabove the bottom of the openings, and

a musical member extending through pairs of oppositely disposed openingsand resting upon the vibration-damping elements.

5. A Xylophone or the like comprising a pair of spaced apartinter-connected hollow housings forming side chambers, a pair of hollowhousings between the ends of the first mentioned housings forming endchambers'the inner opposed walls 'of said side chambers having openingstherein arranged in opposed relation, the outer side wall of one of saidside chambers being also provided with entrance openings of smallerdiameter than the aforesaid openings and in general alinement with thelatter, a vibration-damping element in each side chamber above thebottom of the openings, and a musical member extending through each pairof oppositely disposed openings and resting upon the vibration-dampingelements.

6. A Xylophone or the like comprising a pair of spaced apartinter-connected hollow housings forming side chambers, a pair of hollowhousings disposed between the ends of the first mentioned housings andforming end chambers, said side and end chambers being formed from asingle blank of material, the inner opposed side walls of said sidechambers being provided with openings arranged in opposed relation, theouter side wall of one of said side chambers being provided withentrance openings of smaller diameter than the aforesaid openings and ingeneral alinement with the latter, a vibration-damping element supportedin each side chamber and extending longitudinallythereof above thebottom of the first mentioned openings, and a musical member extendingthrough each pair of oppositely disposed openings and resting upon thevibrationdamping elements.

7. A Xylophone or the like comprising a pair of spaced apartinter-connected hollow housings forming side chambers, a pair of hollowhousings disposed between the. ends of the first mentioned housingsforming end chambers, the side chamhers each having openings in theirinner side walls arranged in opposed relation, supporting means arrangedin each of said side chambers,

of spaced apart inter-connected hollow housings forming side chambers, apair of hollow housings between the ends of the first mentioned housingsforming end chambers, the side chambers each having openings in their,inner side walls arranged in opposed relation, the outer wall of one ofsaid side chambers also having entrance openings therein of smallerdiameter than the aforesaid openings and in generalalinement'with thelatter, supporting means in each side. chamber, a flexiblevibration-dampin element mounted on the supporting means in each sidechamber and HARRY .ZIMMERMAN.

